tubing through caves with glow worms

So, I am making my way down to wellington and I stopped in waitmo, which is famous for their glow worm caves. So, I decided that I was going tubing through the caves. First they made us dress in wetsuits, and get in a truck where we drove through a farm. Then we stopped and had to go for walk through the feilds, I must admit we looked kind of ridculus.






We went through the caves on inner tube, jumped down a waterfall, and went down a slide. Here are a few pics of me, the first one I have a look on my face of confusion or I could be just scared shitless. The second one I look like an idiot, and I give you all permission to make fun of me.

Car stuck in the beach

So, the last thing that I did in Pahia, was go up to 90 mile beach. the best part is not even 90 miles, it is something like 64 1/2 miles. But, the settlers use to say that they could bring their cattle 30 miles a day and it would take them 3 days to do it and thats how it got its name.

I tried to do this tour, two days before but I slept through my alarm. We left around 7am, and we finally made up to 90 mile beach around 10 or so. I can't really remember. But, once we got up the driver almost hit a couple of people as he was making his way onto the beach. you can basically go 100 on the beach, but the day that we went there was a fishing competion so he had to watch out for the fishermen.


Most car rental companies will not allow their cars to go onto 90 mile beach. The reason being is that people don't usually check the high tide report and if you go around that time you car will get stuck in the sand. also the exit for 90 mile beach isn't probably labelled.

Now, this car got stuck 10 days before we were up there.

after driving up the beach, we went to the sand dunes, where we stopped the car and got out the body boards and climbed to top of this sand dune. here is a guy wipping out basically half way down the hill.

I found my dream home, and everyone is invited to visit.

I went up to Pahia which is almost the tip of of the North Island.
on the way we stopped at this forest so that we could check out one of the oldest Kauri trees, these trees are basically like the redwoods in north america. The maroi use to these trees for their waka's and for other things.


The region that Pahia is in, is called the Bay of Islands, basically because there are many islands in this region. So, one day I took a boat out to go swim with the dolphins. We found a group of them, and this is the only picture that was decent enough to show. We had to go in two groups into the water because there were many of us, and by the time that I jumped in the water the dolphins were gone. Buts that ok


We went out to this area which is called "the hole in the rock" we were suppose to go through the hole, but the water was too rough to go through.


But, on the way back into Phaia, they took us by this island, which a bunch of Auckland businessmen own. And I have decided that I am going to buy this island, the house on it isn't the greatest. Its need to be a little fixed up, basically I need to build a new house there. Plus, once this finally completed people can come and visit but I will probably have to charge a fee at first to be able to pay for everything.



I some how need to come up with the money,

The Toronto of New Zealand

So, after I was in the cormandel, I made my way up to Auckland. Now, every canadian that I met told me "Auckland is the toronto of new zealand." Now, since I grew up outside of toronto I kind of like that city, and I liked Auckland I defintly wouldn't want to live there, but its a nice place.

Now, like Toronto, Auckland has its very own CN Tower, but they call it the Sky Tower. but, in auckland you can do a bungy jump from above the viewing tower, it is a controled bungy because they don't want people smacking into the glass as people look out.


Here is the view from the observation deck.


Now, I am afraid of heights and I can't remember if I ever walked accross the glass floor in the CN Tower. But, I was really freaked out going across, I know it wasn't going to break , well I hope not. but it still freaked me out

hockey and curling and feeling the homesickness

So, there were times before that I felt homesick but I have to say that I am feeling it now. I really want to be watching hockey, or curling. But, there is a big Rugby tourament going on right now, so that has basically taken over the airwaves.

Right now, I am talking to my friend Chris trying to find out the results of the womens hockey game. Little did I know it just started, so there isn't much to know All, I know right now is that Finland is on the power play in the first period.

I log onto CBC every other day checking to see the result of the hockey. Now you think with the fact that New Zealand as a curling team they would be showing some of the games, but no.

Its fine that I haven't been able to watch the games up to now, but if Canada makes it to the gold medal and I won't be able to watch. I will be severly depressed

the only time that I will stay in a prison

So, one the of the hostel that I stayed at, was an old prison which was built I think in 1906. You could ask to be placed in a cell, or you could sleep in one of the dorm rooms. I slept in the dorm room called Detox, which was the place that the inmates were strip searched. My bathroom was the old solitary confinment area. The shower and toilet were beside the two cells. It was kind of creepy. Out back was the old hanging yard. It was a very creep place but it still was fun to stay at.

so durning my day there, I used the work out room and I lied on a bench reading a book in the the prison court yard. It was a very enjoyable day.





There are also some pics of the place on the website
http://www.napier-prison-accommodation.com/

Lake taupo, and my skydive was cancelled

So, in Lake Taupo, I tried to go skydiving but it got cancelled because of the rain, but I have to go back through there, so I might try to do it again.

But, my first day there I went out to the craters of the moon, which is a park with these giant holes in the ground with steam coming out. I walked around there for about 45 mins.


after the craters of the moon, I then walked down towards huka falls,


After the huka falls I walked along the river all the way back into town and I stopped and went for a swim in an area of the river where there is a hot pool. If you went beyond one point of the hot pool and the water is freezing.


On my last night in taupo this was the sunset. It is the best one that I have seen. It was kind of ruined by some hippie girl that was sitting there with her guitar singing Ani Difranco songs.

So, other than sledging, I also did zorbing in rotoura. Now, zorbing has to be one of the dumbest things invented but it sure is a lot of fun. Basically, you get put in this big plastic ball, they put in a bit of water into and then push you down a hill. You can either go straight down a hill or you can do a zig zag. Basically you get to understand what it would be like for a hamster that is placed in washing machine. Here are some pics of me going down the zig zag course




Rotoura has a lot of geothermal activity going on in the place. So, one day I went out to this park that has this geyeser. It doesn't look that impressive in this photo, but it can reach the height of 25 - 30 meters.


Throughout the park they had these giant mud pools.
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Also, at the night they had a Maori concert, showing the different dances and songs of the culture, and they also had this giant feast afterwards. With some of things being cooked in the traditional way, of being place underneath the ground and getting cooked by the steam. It was really good, the food was excellent.

climbing a mountain

I went and visited my aunt and uncle who were staying in Mount Maunganui. So basically, I didn't live the backpacker life for a week, I had my own bedroom, which my uncle was concered that I wouldn't be able to sleep because there wasn't 7 other people sleeping in the room with me, but I think the biggest highlight had to be the fact that I had my own bathroom. It was nice to relax and have some privacy again.

But, as I was there I tried surfing. I stood up on the board for about total of 10 seconds. I was able to get up a couple of times but I fell down a lot as well. I will try from time to time, but I think I am going to move to close to a beach where there is some good surf anytime to soon.

But, going around with my aunt and uncle, I realised that my aunt loves high places. I think we went to about 5 or more look out points. One of the look at points was climbing the mountain. Now, I didn't think it was going to be a problem, but about half way up, I started to get a little scared seeing that it was a very narrow walk way. At one point my aunt was turning around to see how my uncle was doing and she said that my hand was grasping onto the wall, and my face was white as ghost. But I kept on going and I made it to the top, which I cant remeber how tell it was.

But, here are two pics one from the walk up and the other from the top of the moutain

anybody up to buying a volcano

so, one day I went on a boat trip that took me out to White Island, which is the only privately owned volcanos in the world. I don't know why anyone would want to own becuase its not like you could build a house on water.

But some company in Vancouver bought it years and years ago, to mine for sulphur on it. they did it for years until there was a landslide that killed everyone on the island, they then sold it, and one family as owned it ever since. On the island we had to wear a hard hat, and gas mask at times, and gas mask aren't the best look for me either.

So, here is a view of white island as the boat was leaving.


The yellow stuff on the wall is the sulphur, and they let us taste some, it tasted like were were eating chalk.


About a couple of years ago this lake started to form on the island, and the way that they measure it getting bigger is by place rocks and watching the rocks fall into the water. In the year of 2005 they have lost 3 rocks, I thought there would have been a more scientific way of doing it,







This is what is left of the factory on the island.

catherdral cove

so after I left mt manaungai (sp) I went up to the cormandel penisula. On the way to whitanga, the bus stopped off at hot water beach. There is area on hot water beach were you can dig a hole, sit in a hot water pool but you have to get there earlier to beat the japanese tourist. I burnt the bottom my foot while trying to dig a hole, so I gave up

The second stop was catherdral cove. We walked for about 30 mins to reach it, it was a really nice walk, and we were reward by being able to sit on the beach for 2 hours. a name pretty much says it all

valentines day

hey, so on valentines day, I couldnt figure any better way to spend then getting into a cesna plane and flying around the whitanga. The guy who rans the hostel that I stayed at, is a pilot and takes people up in his plane. It was a beautiful flight,


This is a pic of catherdral cove from the air, it looks so tiny.




So, I was trying to take a picture of myself, but as I was taking the picture the plane it a rough patch. I think my face says it all

the smell of rotten eggs

to answer your question sarah,

this town smells like rotten eggs. some of time, you don't really smell it, but then you get a nice breeze that brings the smell back to your nose. It is kind of lovely smell, it reminds me of south oshawa, but this place smells a little worst.

the amazing race without the yelling

so, a couple of seasons ago on the amazing race they came to new zealand and made them two things zorbing and sledging. and being the amazing race junkie that I am, I had to try both.

Now, sledging is where you go down a river with a board in front of you and pair of flippers on your feet and you down through the rapids. I thought it was going to be a piece of cake, I thought you would float down the river because you going with the current. But, you have to do a lot of kicking to get yourself in the right postion go down the rapid.

I would also like to add , that a wet suit is not the greatest look for me

The first photo is me going down the first rapid, this was the probably the easiest one of them all. But, if you look at the second pic, my board has gone in the air. Plus the next two photos you see that I am still underwater and then finally come up.